JYJ members to join military this year

Kim Jun-su, left, and Kim Jae-joong

Two members of K-pop boy band group JYJ — Kim Jun-su, 26, and Kim Jae-joong, 27 — are expected to join the army before the end of the year.

Kim Jae-joong has already received draft notice several times but postponed because of frequent concert and busy schedules. Kim Jun-su is also considering the period of enlistment.

One source said “Kim wants to serve in the military as a common soldier because of the recent controversy over the ‘entertainment’ soldiers.”

The Ministry of National Defense announced on Thursday that it was abolishing the “entertainment-soldier” system following public outrage and controversy over celebrities including Rain, Seven and Sangchoo who were excessively using the perks assigned to entertainers serving in units that perform for active servicemen.

Meanwhile, the other JYJ member Park Yu-Cheon, 27, will serve on reserve duty due to his asthma condition. Park’s plan for military service is unknown.